"Fever blisters" or "cold sores" have long been a very unpleasant manifestation of viral Herpes-type infections. Typically, the lesions form on the lips and/or genital area of a human and are very uncomfortable as well as unsightly during the several week healing period. Since these lesions are normally of a recurring nature, a remedy which will serve to relieve the discomfort and expedite the healing process has long been sought after.
In an effort to address the discomfort of fever blisters, cold sores and other lesions caused by Herpes-type viruses, many home remedies have been used over the years without any significant success. Also, commercial products have been developed in recent years to attempt to treat the viral infections. Representative of such products are the following: CAMPHO-PHENIQUE manufactured by Winthrop Consumer Products of New York, N.Y.; HERPECIN-L manufactured by Campbell Labs of New York, N.Y.; and BLISTEX manufactured by Blistex Incorporated of Oakbrook, Ill. Unfortunately, none of the commercial formulations have been found to be entirely satisfactory when used as topical preparations for treating humans for fever blisters or cold sores and other viral infections of both the single occurrence as well as recurrent type.
Of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,063 to Haines et al. discloses that the use of lidocaine, and particularly lidocaine in combination with a pantothenic acid, is an effective anti-viral agent in use to treat Herpes virus infections in mammals and is particularly effective in the treatment of HSV oral and genital lesions on humans. Haynes et al. discloses that lidocaine, a local anesthetic agent, and pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) have an anti-viral effect on mammals, including human beings. It is further disclosed that lidocaine administered in the form of a pharmaceutical formulation comprising lidocaine and pantothenic acid together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is particularly effective when injected in a single daily dosage or topically applied in an ointment or solution form 3 to 4 times daily. Unfortunately, this formulation is not entirely satisfactory due to the inconvenience of injections and the lengthy time of therapy required for topical treatment.